Little Pink Starfish

This young lord would surely live on forever with the appearance of a beautiful youth, so long as the dragon did not die… Half of Elsis felt envy, and the other half wished he could somehow live here himself. Compared to his own modest domain, this city was just too breathtaking.

Soon, the lengthy performance by the traditional orchestra came to an end. Unexpectedly, it was the high priest who walked toward the temporary platform in front of the temple—not the lord of Solar, as Elsis had thought. He’d heard during his stay that the lord and the high priest were quite close, and he figured that must be the reason.

As people murmured among themselves, the high priest ascended the platform. He was a man with black hair, the complete opposite of the lord in appearance. As he began his sermon, his voice—likely amplified by the lord’s magic—resounded far and wide. The vast crowd all raised red flowers or religious symbols in their hands and began to pray in unison. The sight was overwhelming. Elsis suddenly realized:

“Solar… its greatest power must come from this religion.”

In the mountainous north, the most widely worshipped faith was that of Morunka, the mountain god. And now, Solar was viewed as a holy site of Morunka. The main temple, once located in Sobletz, had even been moved here. What would happen if someone tried to attack Solar? How many believers would rise up, crying sacrilege and pouring in like a swarm of bees? It wouldn’t be just the citizens of Solar who would act…

Even the lord held the title of saint within Morunka’s faith, earning the respect of many devout believers. During the last luncheon, the lord had skillfully quoted verses from Morunka’s scripture, impressing even the most pious lords.

Elsis swore to himself—he would do whatever it took to align himself with Solar’s lord. And since the lord was also a magician from the Labyrinth, barring disaster, he would remain a dominant power in the north for a very long time.

While he was lost in thought, the sermon finally ended—and what followed next surprised Elsis even more.

A few knights in full armour climbed the platform. It seemed they were ensuring the safety of the stage before the lord ascended. One of them wore armour decorated with a large red flower, and as soon as he appeared, the crowd exploded in cheers.

“It’s Bloom!”

“Sir Bloom! The protector of this city!”

The previously reverent crowd began chanting his name—”Bloom! Bloom! Bloom!” As if they were a single living creature. Elsis had never seen anything like it, not in his own land, nor in any other territory. He glanced at the other lords nearby—they, too, looked unsettled.

What happened next shocked him even more. When the knight commander finished checking the stage, the lord of Solar stepped up—and the crowd erupted into an uncontrollable frenzy.

“Waaaah!”

“It’s the lord! The lord is here!”

“May the blessings of the gods be upon the lord!”

Some people at the front even tried to rush the stage, causing the knights on guard to stumble for a moment. Red flowers rained down from the crowd, tossed toward the platform. The screams were so loud they rang in Elsis’ ears and rendered him speechless.

To be honest, he wasn’t just surprised. He was afraid. It was hard to tell whether the crowd was worshipping Morunka… or the lord himself. The lord of Solar didn’t seem fazed in the slightest and simply smiled as he calmly looked over this fanatical mob.

“My citizens.”

At the sound of the lord’s voice ringing out across the plaza, everyone fell silent. In the feverish, overheated atmosphere, tens of thousands of eyes were fixed on him. Watching it all, Elsis suddenly felt dizzy. This is madness, he thought. At least for this moment, these people aren’t citizens—they’re zealots.

“Even in this cold, you’ve come out to honour the gods. I’m truly pleased. I’m sure Morunka is very pleased as well.”

Someone in the crowd began sobbing with emotion, and Elsis sighed softly. Were citizens in other dragon-ruled cities like this too? He couldn’t help but feel that the people—and more importantly, the lord—were terrifying.

“For the past ten years, all of us in this city have built this temple together. The stones you quarried with your own hands became its foundation. The money you earned with sweat and toil fed the workers who constructed it. Truly, this temple was built by us all.”

Faces throughout the crowd lit with pride. The temple had become a source of shared pride long before its completion. Understandably so—it was an unprecedentedly massive and magnificent building. Second only to the lord’s castle, the temple was so tall and grand that its spire could be seen from anywhere in the city.

“I won’t keep you waiting any longer.”

With that, Eira turned slightly. The crowd followed his gaze. Slowly, he raised a gloved hand—and then swept it down.

At once, the giant white cloth that had covered the temple began to blaze. No—it only looked like it was burning. In truth, the fabric was vanishing, dissolving from the edges in glowing red flower-shaped patterns.

It was a sight unlike anything in the world. Magic was rare, and most mages didn’t waste their powers on spectacle. But this lord… this lord used his magic exclusively for display and showmanship.

The crowd either screamed and jumped with excitement or stood completely spellbound. The burning flowers consumed the last of the cloth, revealing the temple beneath.

A grand structure of pure white, it looked like a work of divine art. Huge pillars, carved to resemble blossoms, supported the roof. The temple was so tall one had to crane their neck just to glimpse its peak. At the very top stood a statue of a goddess, her white robes fluttering, gazing down at the people. Though lifelike, her face remained obscured by a veil and the light. Clearly, this had been a deliberate design.

Flowing banners trailed from the edges of the roof, fluttering in the winter wind. Somewhere, bells rang softly.

Is that… is that all made of Skit silk?

As Elsis stood stunned by this overwhelming display of wealth, a second spell began. Above the temple, the aurora shimmered and danced. The crowd cheered again in ecstasy.

“It’s the robe of the god!”

“Oh Morunka!”

“Bless our lord and this city!”

In this region, people referred to the aurora as the robe of the god, and in that moment, even a non-believer like Elsis could see why.

Then the final spell bloomed. Where the land around the temple had been bare and snow-covered, red flowers began to appear one by one, quickly spreading and filling the entire area. They had been planted beforehand and hidden with illusion magic until now. The cheers of the people seemed to shake the heavens.

The lord looked upon it all, satisfied, before descending from the stage. Like a loyal hound, the knight commander followed close behind. It was the perfect start to the Winter Festival.

The lord headed straight for where his retainers were gathered and leaned close to whisper something to someone. It was only then Elsis noticed the man with crimson hair. He stood out strikingly, yet somehow blended in easily if one glanced away—a kind of camouflage magic, perhaps.

The way the lord and his dragon companion spoke so comfortably made them seem like ordinary lovers. Feeling a wave of unease, Elsis looked over at Raga and Peril.

“It’ll be fine. The lord definitely likes them.”

He reassured himself as he gazed again at the aurora rippling above the temple. The crowd’s excitement had infected him; he forgot the cold and wandered off into the festival. The entire city was buzzing with celebration. As a lord, even he had never experienced such a thing.

Elsis spent the rest of the festival thoroughly enjoying himself. He sampled every type of steamed bun, bought souvenirs symbolising Morunka and the lord, visited a former evacuation shelter where he paid to draw a ceremonial sword, went sledding, admired snow and ice sculptures, and soaked in an outdoor hot spring overlooking a frozen lake.

And so, three days passed in the blink of an eye—and his coin pouch was utterly empty. As he trudged back to the castle, he thought to himself:

“I could come back here next year… just once more.”

But when he returned to the lord’s castle, an unexpected surprise awaited him. Raga and Peril, their faces flushed with excitement, reported:

“The lord of Solar said he wants to keep us close.”

“We think he’s opened his heart to us. This is our chance, Lord Elsis.”

“Really? Truly, Lord Eira said that?”

Having finally reached his goal, Elsis was overjoyed. Raga and Peril, in calm voices, swore they would do their best to win over Lord Eira completely.

“To think the children I raised are now being favoured by him… this is wonderful. Truly wonderful.”

Imagining himself connected to the ruler of this magnificent city, Elsis burst out in booming laughter. He wanted to stay longer to witness the deepening connection—but alas, he had to return to his own territory. He had been away far too long.

“You must write me at least once a month. Understood? Always look your best and make winning Eira’s heart your number one priority.”

Only after repeatedly drilling these instructions into them did Elsis leave Solar. With a round-faced attendant beside him, plumped up from all the food, he boarded the carriage. Even as it departed, he looked back at the city over and over again, unable to hide his longing.

And all the while, he imagined the next time he would return—proud and radiant, making a grand entrance into this glorious city.